Humane Society of St. Joseph County could lose contract

July 30, 2008|By JOHN PAUL WSBT-TV Reporter

The Humane Society of St. Joseph County and County Commissioners are not seeing eye to eye. Several factors, including issues of accountability, are jeopardizing the Humane Society's $122,000 contract.

The local government's funding crunch is nothing to bark about. Many departments have been ordered to slash budgets.

The Humane Society of St. Joseph County is not a county department, but it does receive $122,000 from the county. The risk of losing the contract and the money is alarming.

"I'm concerned about the animals here," said Shelter Director Dr. Carol Ecker. "I want to make sure they go someplace where they are cared for and not just euthanized."

Every nickel is accounted for to care and feed hundreds of animals Â? even wildlife. "Taking care of the animals, catching wild animals, working with dangerous animals," Ecker added.

But County Commissioner Mark Dobson said the Humane Society is not meeting several expectations. He spoke with WSBT News by phone. He said, "They just haven't provided to us the building plans and a time schedule for when the building would happen."

"We have had the new building sketches in our office for at least two years," Ecker countered.

Fundraising and community involvement isn't keeping up with the cost it takes to keep the shelter open. "Space costs money, but no one seems to have money," Ecker said.

While revenue is generated with the animal licensing, Dobson says the shelter is not fulfilling expectations Â? another factor that could jeopardize the contract.

"The accountability is the issue that we have," Dobson said. "We don't know that all the funds are necessarily being collected or being properly targeted. That's an area of concern for us."

Ecker believes the real issue is the animals and both sides need to work toward common ground. She said, "I have no animosity to anyone. I just try to take care of these animals. I do this as a volunteer. We need to talk."